The 1803 Flint Basher

[nkbj]

Does anyone do conversions on the 1803 flint basher pistols?
Either fixing in locks or else converting to percussion?

 

[Flintandsteel]

Not sure what an 1803 flint basher is?

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

OP, you aren’t making much sense?

 

[hawkeye2]

I believe he is referring to the Harpers Ferry model of 1805 repro flint pistol. A common mistake to cal them 1803s because of the 1803 Harpers Ferry rifle. There are folks who heat & bend and/or cut & weld the hammer to address the issue. I have one that I've never fired because of the issues. My solution will be (if I ever bother to do anything about it) to replace the **** with one that has the correct geometry. In all the years these have been on the market and made by several different manufacturers no one has ever bothered to correct the problems with the lock and not just the **** either.

 

[Many Klatch]

I have seen Mike Lea fix some of them. They are not built to work as is.

 

[hawkeye2]

I have seen Mike Lea fix some of them. They are not built to work as is.

That sums it up and we complain about Indian guns.

 

[nkbj]

I have seen Mike Lea fix some of them. They are not built to work as is.

Many Klatch,
Do you know a means of contacting same?
If Mike Lea can put a fix on it I'd like to talk to him.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Repro Pistol from where??

 

[hawkeye2]

Repro Pistol from where??

Italy, very early ones came from Belgium. Zoli, Euroarms, Pederosoli and God knows who else have made them over 60 years. They have been imported by Navy Arms, Replica Arms and countless others. The only pistol that has a more varied pedigree is the $30 Japanese British Dragoon one.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Pedersoli makes a good caplock Harpers Ferry.

 

[hawkeye2]

Yes, looks like that was the way to fix the issues with the flint ones.

 

[Enfield58]

I’ve had mine since about 1987 and never had a problem with it.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

There are custom builders who will make you an 1805 with an excellent American made lock.

But then people will complain it’s too expensive, so we’re back to the replicas... which they complain don’t work.

 

[nkbj]

Seems to me that there was a thread a years ago on fixing the angle.

Anybody... anybody know of Mike Lea contact info? If he is still working?

And by the way, looked it up in my notes, yes, it is 1805 not 1803. The Pedersoli reproduction pistol.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Sounds like they were never intended to be a functioning fire arm. You get what you pay for.

 

[Many Klatch]

Many Klatch,
Do you know a means of contacting same?
If Mike Lea can put a fix on it I'd like to talk to him.

I sent you a PM